RESEARCH
Check Here for the Latest Presentations and Research
A Review of Washington State's Assisted Living Medicaid Payments
January 14, 2022
The 2018 Washington State Legislature enacted a Medicaid payment methodology into law so that Medicaid insurance could pay adequately for low-income, elderly long-term care in an assisted living setting. The law requires the system to be fully phased-in, and yet today (in 2022), the system is only phased-in at sixty percent funding. This funding level only compensates assisted living hourly wages at $11.29, which is lower than minimum wage. The low-income, elderly are losing access to assisted living as an option for long-term care. Download this slide deck to learn more.
A Critical Hour for Long-Term Care (A four part series)
In this January 2021 series, we provide a data driven review on one of four key topics: Skilled Nursing Facilities, Assisted Living Centers, The COVID-19 Pandemic, and The Direct Care Workforce for Long-Term Care.
Each briefing is about 15 to 20 minutes long and provides data and information that is seperate, but related to the other segments. It is our goal that the material in this series will provide a fuller picture of the current and future vulnerabilities of long-term care in Washington State.
A Data Driven Review: Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs)
January 11, 2021
It is likely that sometime within the last year, all of us have heard something in the news or have seen a headline about skilled nursing facilities. While headlines and news stories do not offer conclusive insight into a situation, the presence of them points to the fact that the way we deliver long-term care is changing. This data driven review provides information beyond the headlines to help inform opinions and policy related to skilled nursing facililities and skilled nursing facilitiy Medicaid payment rates. Download the skilled nursing facility slide deck by clicking the button below.
A Data Driven Review: Assisted Living (AL)
January 11, 2021
Assisted Living has two options in Washington State. One is a group-home type model where individuals share rooms. The other is a private apartment model where each resident has a private unit, a private bathroom, a private living area, and a kitchenette. Why are we seeing the private apartment model fade away as an option for our ellderly, low-income populations who rely on Medicaid insurance to pay for long-term care? This data driven review takes a deeper dive into this topic and provides additional information for us to consider as we think about where assisted living fits in our state's spectrum of health care for the elderly. Download the assisted living slide deck by clicking the button below.
A Data Driven Review: COVID-19 Pandemic
January 2021
There is no doubt that long-term care is the front lines for the COVID-19 Pandemic. Long-term care is made up of Adult Family Homes, Support Living, Assisted Living, and Skilled Nursing Facilities. COVID-19 cases related to these providers represents only 6 percent of all cases in Washington, but about 51% of COVID-19 deaths. The residents served in long-term care are the highest risk group for the disease: Elderly, suffering from multiple chronic health conditions, and living in congregate settings. This briefing looks at the impacts of the pandemic on the staff and providers serving on the front lines in the battle against this disease.
A Data Driven Review: Long-Term Care's Direct Care Workforce
January 2021
This briefing takes a look at the current nursing staff shortages in Washington state with a special emphasis on long-term care providers. Recent data tells us that 30 to 40 percent of all nursing positions in our state are unfilled on any given day. With a large number of aging baby-boomers, the demand for long-term care will inevitably grow beyond what it is today. In the face of current nursing shortages, our state is a critical point of determining how we will foster and grow the supply of workers needed to care for our vulnerable elderly loved ones both today and in the coming years.